HPE H9VB2E Aruba 3Y FC 4H Exch CP C3K DL360 Applsvc

HPE H9VB2E Aruba ClearPass C3K 3-Year Foundation Care 4-Hour Exchange Service

Overview

The HPE H9VB2E is a three-year Foundation Care service contract providing 4-hour hardware exchange coverage for the Aruba ClearPass C3K network access control appliance running on an HPE DL360 server platform. If you're deploying ClearPass as a mission-critical NAC enforcement point — handling 802.1X authentication, device profiling, or policy enforcement across enterprise or campus networks — this care pack is the mechanism that keeps your replacement SLA predictable when hardware fails.

UNSPSC code 81111812 classifies this as a hardware maintenance and support service, sourced from US distribution channels. The country of origin is designated US, which supports TAA procurement requirements for government and regulated-sector buyers.

Key Features

• 4-Hour Hardware Exchange SLA: When the covered appliance fails, HPE's logistics network delivers a replacement unit within four hours of case initiation — reducing downtime on an authentication infrastructure that, when unavailable, can lock users off the network entirely.
• 3-Year Coverage Term: Aligns the service window with typical enterprise refresh cycles, so you're not renegotiating support mid-deployment or running an unsupported appliance through year two and three of a five-year campus rollout.
• ClearPass C3K / DL360 Appliance Scope: Coverage is specific to the ClearPass C3K form factor on DL360 hardware — not a blanket Aruba or HPE contract. Confirm your appliance model before purchasing; mismatched care packs won't activate against the correct serial.
• US-Origin Service: Sourced through US distribution (UNSPSC 81111812), relevant for procurement teams with domestic-sourcing requirements or TAA compliance obligations under federal or state contracts.

Integration and Compatibility

H9VB2E applies to ClearPass Policy Manager deployments where the C3K appliance serves as the RADIUS/TACACS+ enforcement node, guest portal host, or device-profiling engine. It does not extend to virtual appliance licenses, ClearPass Guest software, or other HPE Aruba hardware outside the specified DL360-based C3K platform. Verify your appliance serial number and current support status through HPE's support portal before activating.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: What hardware does the HPE H9VB2E cover?

A: The H9VB2E covers the Aruba ClearPass C3K appliance deployed on an HPE DL360 server platform. It does not apply to virtual ClearPass instances or other appliance form factors.

Q: What does the 4-hour exchange SLA mean in practice?

A: HPE will deliver a replacement hardware unit within four hours of a qualifying case being opened — this is an exchange service, not on-site repair. The failed unit is returned after the replacement is received.

Q: Is the H9VB2E TAA-compliant for government procurement?

A: The country of origin is designated US and it is sourced through US distribution channels, which supports TAA procurement requirements. Confirm with your contracting officer for specific program applicability.

Q: How long does this care pack provide coverage?

A: Three years from the activation date.

Q: Can this care pack be applied to an appliance already out of warranty?

A: HPE care packs generally require activation within a defined window of the original purchase date. Verify eligibility through HPE's support activation portal before ordering for an existing appliance.

Jerry Tildsen

The HPE H9VB2E is one of those line items that gets skipped during a ClearPass deployment budget review and comes back to hurt you — a 4-hour exchange SLA on a C3K appliance is the difference between a four-hour authentication outage and a multi-day wait on depot repair when your NAC enforcement point goes down at 2 AM.

Technical Highlights:

• 4-Hour Exchange Response: For a ClearPass node handling 802.1X enforcement, a 4-hour replacement window is operationally meaningful — most campus environments can't sustain an open-network fallback for longer without policy violations.
• 3-Year Term: Covers the appliance through a full enterprise refresh cycle, avoiding the support gap that opens in year two when the base warranty expires and the appliance is still in production use.
• US-Origin / TAA: UNSPSC 81111812 sourced from US distribution — relevant for education, state/local government, and federal-adjacent deployments with domestic-sourcing mandates.

Deployment Considerations:

• Activate the care pack promptly after appliance installation — HPE enforces an eligibility window; delayed activation can render the contract non-attachable to the target serial number.
• This contract is scoped strictly to the C3K on DL360 hardware. If your environment uses multiple ClearPass appliance tiers or virtual instances, each requires its own matching care pack SKU — H9VB2E does not provide blanket coverage.

Best fit for enterprise or higher-education network teams running ClearPass C3K as a primary NAC enforcement node where an unplanned authentication outage has direct operational or compliance consequences.